Day of Polish Diaspora was started in 2002 by the Sejm (Polish Parliament)
as a means of recognizing the achievements and contributions of Poles living
abroad in regaining independence and helping Poland in its most dire times. It
is estimated that there are around 20
million people of Polish origin living outside of the country (click on the
graphic to see where they are located!) With one of the largest groups of diaspora in world, it is important to remember that
not all are immigrants. Many are displaced from the years of Poland’s changing
borders are ethnic minorities in Russia and Ukraine. Learn more here. If you are Polish-born – we join in celebrating you
today!

The Polish Flag Day has been officially
celebrated since 2004. On this day, numerous patriotic campaigns are organized
to remind of the red and white national colors. In the recent years, the
national brooch – a white and red rosette worn by the insurgents in the 19th
century – has returned to popularity. Poles pin it to their clothes during
national celebrations.

Polish national
colors are one of the few in the world of heraldic origin. They derive from the colors of the coat of
arms of the Kingdom of Poland and the coat of
arms of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In the Polish flag, the white symbolizes the white of the eagle,
which features on the coat of arms of Poland, and the white of the Pursuer – a knight
galloping on horseback, which features on the coat of arms of Lithuania. Both
charges are on a red shield. On the flag, white is placed in the upper part and
red in the lower because in Polish heraldry, the tincture of the charge has
priority over the tincture of the field.

The red and white
colors were first recognized as national colors on May 3, 1792, on the first
anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of 3 May. They were
officially adopted as the colors of the Polish State by the Sejm of the Kingdom
of Poland in 1831 during the November Uprising. After Poland regained independence,
the appearance of the Polish flag was confirmed by the Legislative Sejm on August
1, 1919. Story and art courtesy of www.lovepoland.org

Volunteer to be part of our Downtown Youngstown festival

As Simply Slavic Heritage Festivalapproaches on Saturday, June 16, 2018
Noon- 11 PM Downtown Youngstown, it is time for you to show
your support. We want our Polish heritage to be represented throughout the
festival, but to do so we need YOUR help! In addition to or in lieu of
volunteering for the festival itself, PolishYoungstown
and Polish Arts Club of Youngstown
would appreciate your support in the MARKETPLACE booth or HERITAGE
Tent. Both spots require no standing - just a friendly face and a
willingness to talk about our culture and maybe sell a t-shirt or two! If
enough of us step up, shifts will only two hours and we get to spend the rest
of the time enjoying the festival without an admission fee! Please consider
joining in the fun! Reach out by emailing info@polishyoungstown.org or
calling 330-333-9724. You can help make it great!ZAPRASZAMY

Event
to Offer Options

Members of the Polish-American Community of Toledo are launching a new
Polish festival this week - one that organizers say will celebrate Polish
traditions and educate the public on Polish culture. The three-day event is not meant to compete with the
long-running, summertime Lagrange Street Polish Festival, but aims to give
people options, PACT President Jack Sparagowski said. Sparagowski says the longtime
Lagrange Street festival had lost its ‘Polish flavor’ and became more of an
international festival over the years as Polish families moved out of North
Toledo. His goal was to provide the community with an event that focuses solely
on Polish heritage. So PACT createdA Real Polish-American
Festival and it will be held May
18, 19. and 20, 2018 at the Club 16 facility located on King Road just
south of Hill Avenue in Holland, Ohio, a beautiful 20-acre park-like setting.
Organizers saythe major focus of the event will be
to exhibit true Polish-American culture through music, food, entertainment and
the arts. Proceeds will be used to fund scholarships for Polish-American
students and to help fund the building campaign for a new Polish Community
Center. Fun fact: Over 360,000 people in the Northwest Ohio area can claim some
relationship to having a Polish heritage!! ZAPRASZAMY!
Sounds like the kind of attitude that we need to support! Anyone interested in
going for the day on Saturday? Call us at 330-646-4082